In October 2013 I joined a gym… well more of a club. I can eat, drink, shower, work out, swim, watch TV, shop, get my hair done, get a massage or a wax – even a makeup application. I can play racquetball or tennis, sit in front of the fire (life is good), take Tango lessons, yoga (among other things), go to one of the many drinking and eating social functions offered and have a gourmet meal in the cafe.

In January 2014 I went back to eating healthy and counting every damn calorie I stick in my mouth. I lost 11 pounds in January and 3 so far this month. Not bad, but my goal is 10 pounds per month so I can actually go out in public in a bathing suit.

I gained about 30 pounds in 3 months – I am an expert gainer.

So the other day I was in Whole Foods on one of my many visits to the Middletown store, when I discovered a box of juices made to cleanse your body. Manufactured by Blueprint, the 6 juice cleanse cost $55 for a one-day cleanse.

After researching the product at home Blueprint Cleanse offers a 1, 3 or 6 day cleanse of 6 100% organic, raw juices.

I didn’t know if I could do a 3-day but I was sure I could juice for 1 full day. I chose the Renovation Cleanse.

First impressions:

Color: Bile

Smell: Celery

Taste: Celery and lettuce

Opinion: I hate the taste and smell of celery and the taste of the green juice was hard to get down. It took me from 8 am to 9:30 am to finish the 16 oz bottle. I’ve had worse things in my mouth, but I eat for enjoyment not necessity. If I can do it, anyone can.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

Color: Light-colored Lemonade

Smell: Lemony

Taste: Lemonade with a hint of spice

Opinion: This was a good juice. It felt clean and fresh. I wish there was a little more spice but I guess it has to appeal to a broader audience and not just a spice-addict like myself. The hotter the better.

Dinner. Ugh! Little did I know that I had to drink beets! I hate beets! I hate the texture, the color, the taste. C.A.B. is 190 calories of juice from organic apple, organic carrot, organic beet, filtered water, organic lemon and organic ginger.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

Color: Deep Red

What’s left…

Smell: Earthy

Taste: Beets and dirt

Opinion: This wasn’t as bad as the green juice but because of my massive dislike of beets, I couldn’t drink the whole thing and left about 1/2 inch in the bottle.

My husband is needy. I have 3 of the neediest cats on the planet – with all their meowing, and following me around incessantly – you would think I had kids!

Well, tonight is my attempt to get back into the swing of things – a.k.a. BLOGGING.

I’m on yet another diet – or should I say… healthy eating regime… and all I can think about is food. Healthy and unhealthy. I lost 16 pounds so far and I started January 15th but I have a bit to go.

Yesterday, I was driving by the diner and had a sudden urge for French Fries and Gravy – known as “Disco Fries” sans fromage to some. It was hard to keep driving, but I did.

Then I thought about the meal I made Saturday night. It was so yummy! So good that my husband and I ate an entire pound of spaghetti. Yes, you heard that right. The whole pound!

That was a cheat if I do say.

So since that damn Pasta al Pomodoro taunted me with its goodness, I figured I would share the Bon Appétit recipe with all of you – hoping my weight loss group will read this, cook it and gain weight so I will win the challenge yet again! LOL!

Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a 5-qt. pot. Season with salt; add spaghetti or bucatini and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.

Discard basil and heat skillet over high heat. Stir in reserved pasta water to loosen sauce; bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring, until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat; add butter and cheese; toss until cheese melts. Transfer to warm bowls; serve with more cheese, if desired.

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Living in New Jersey, a pork roll egg and cheese is a necessary evil. Evil – because of its deliciousness and high calorie content and necessary because… well it’s just “Jersey”.

People in North Jersey call it Taylor Ham (the best brand) and people in South Jersey call it Pork Roll. The fight is almost as passionate as “sauce” vs. “gravy”. Gravy wins hands down – but that’s another blog.

After having one of the shittiest years and the shittiest New Year’s Eves (yet another blog), I decided to treat myself to a twist on the normal, well-known PEG. Maybe I’d feel better about “stuff” – and I do!

My original blog about the wonderful PEG can be found HERE – and nothing can mess with perfection.

I don’t want to mess with the crème de la crème of NJ breakfast sandwiches, but I do want to offer you a gourmet alternative.

Tools needed: a panini press or something heavy to weigh down the bread (I used the latter)

Cook pork roll in some Pam until browned and cooked through. Set aside.

Cook egg in the same pan to desired doneness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. The flavor of the pork roll will permeate the egg – yum!

Assemble sandwich: Spread fruit spread on bottom half of the bread. Add pork roll, egg and crumbled Gorgonzola. Melt butter in a clean pan and add sandwich – presentation side down. Press with something heavy. Cook until golden brown, flip and do the same to the other side.

Cheese with be melted and the sandwich with be delish!

Serves 1.

Try it out and let me know if you like it. It mixes the saltiness of the Taylor Ham and the sweetness of the fruit.

And for all you Jersey guys and gals – let me know how it compares to the original!

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The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 8,500 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 14 years to get that many views.

In a large pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until the fat is rendered and the meat beginning to crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pot and reserve.

Melt the butter in olive oil in a the same pot over a medium flame. Add the onion, celery, garlic, 1/2 to 1 tbsp red pepper flakes and chorizo (optional) and cook until the onion is translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir the flour into the pot. Cook the onion and flour mixture for several minutes then add the potatoes and add the wine and stir. Add clam broth and bring to a simmer, stirring until smooth. Add the tomatoes and sugar, stir well to incorporate, then toss in the pepper flakes, thyme, and parsley. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and cook at a low simmer until the broth is flavorful, 20 to 30 minutes.

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When I think of Fall, I think about 1. Back to School (back to work for me), 2. the Fall collections and how I can integrate the new trends into my wardrobe without draining my bank account and 3. going back on my damn diet!

I’ve eaten to excesses this summer with no exercise, except for an occasional tennis game, and I know I gained weight.

Now it’s time to buckle down so I can get into my single-digit sizes again and Clean Eating Magazine is one of my favorites to get me motivated. It has great recipes that will put you on the right eating path and make you stay there.

Last night I made Spicy Red Quinoa Jambalaya from Clean Eating’s March 2012 issue. I’ve made it before and it was delicious. This time I made a few modifications because I didn’t want to go to the store yet again – and it was still delicious!